Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tribunals Service statistics show the number of age discrimination claims in 2010/11 has risen by 31% to 6,800 from 5,200 in 2009/10.
Overall, 218,100 claims were made in 2009/10, compared to 236,100 in 2008/9 – a decrease of 8%. However, the year was still up 44% on 2008/9.
Age Discrimination claims are now the third in the league of tribunal claims; ahead of race discrimination but behind disability and sex discrimination (still number one).
Anyone can potentially formulate an age discrimination claim, whether on the grounds of “too young” or “too old” Whereas we may not fit into a race or disability or sex category, we all have an age.
Many observers had predicted that we would have a huge increase in age discrimination claims and we have indeed seen a surge of claims, even before the abolition of the default retirement age in October 2011.